2025 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WIGTOFT PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON the 6th of October 2025

Present: Cllr S Baxter; Cllr B Leggott; Cllr S Smith and Cllr S Brigham. Also present: County Councillor Paul Lock. Borough Councillor James Cantwell and 1 member of the public.

Public Forum. (The Public Forum does not form part of the meeting of the Parish Council) - None.

The Vice-Chairperson, Cllr Baxter, opened the meeting at 19.30 and welcomed everyone present.

075/25  Chairperson’s remarks – none.

076/25  To receive apologies and reasons for absence – apologies and reasons for absence were received from Cllrs Mills, Collingwood and Redhead. It was resolved to accept their apologies and reasons for absence.

077/25  To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest not previously recorded on Member’s Register of Interests – none.

078/25  Notes of the meetings held on 4.8.25 confirmed and signed as minutes.

The above notes were agreed and signed as minutes by Cllr Baxter. It was resolved to accept the notes as minutes.

079/25  Financial matters: To resolve to accept the accounts for payment for August and September 2025, to be checked and signed by two Councillors at this meeting. Clerk to present budget figures for the year to date. Bank balance £14098.13 as at 30.9.25. To receive the banl reconciliation for the period 1.4.25 to 30.6.25 from Cllr Collingwood.

The accounts for payment were checked against the invoices to the list, confirmed as correct and for August, signed by  Cllrs Baxter and Leggott, and for September signed by Cllrs Smith And Brigham. It was resolved to agree the payments. The clerk had circulated the budget figures up to date for the current financial year to the Councillors prior to the meeting. The clerk advised that there was nothing new to comment on or explain for the current year to date. It was resolved to accept the budget figures year to date as an accurate copy of the Parish Council’s receipts and payments  and the balance of the bank account at £14098.13. It was resolved to accept the bank reconciliation for 1.4.25 to 30.6.25 which had been checked and signed off as correct by Cllr Collingwood. The clerk confirmed to Councillors that confirmation of receipt of the Audit Declaration of Exempt status was received by email on the 5.8.25. The deadline for submission was 30.6.25. The clerk confirmed that the document was submitted on the 28.5.25 and, after chasing twice, an email confirmation was received on the 17.6.25.

ACTION: Clerk to make payments and add budget to website.

080/66  Planning: To confirm the response to the planning application to determine if prior approval is required for proposed Change of Use of Buildings on Agricultural Units and former Agricultural Buildings to Dwellinghouses (class C3), which may include extension of the building and/or building operations reasonably necessary for the conversion at Off Spion Kop Lane, Wigtoft, Boston PE20 2PH, submitted to the planning authority following consultation with Councillors by email in line with Standing Order 15b xviii.

It was resolved to confirm the comments submitted detailed below.

The Parish Council objects to the application on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence provided to demonstrate that the building was used solely for agricultural purposes as part of an established agricultural unit on or before 20 March 2013, as required under Class Q of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (as amended).

 We formally request that the Local Planning Authority require the applicant to provide documentary evidence to support the lawful agricultural use of the building during the relevant time period.

 In the absence of this information, we submit that the building is ineligible for development under Class Q and that the application for prior approval should be refused or declared invalid.

In addition to the above objection, the Parish Council's further comments are:

1. The application is being made about a building that is still the same size as when it was refused previously on 1.4.25. It seems that this is just a way to avoid applying for planning permission. 

2. Re access, Spion Kop Lane not a Public Right of Way but there are easements over the road for residents. While there will not be any mention of access within this application, it is a concern to the Parish Council.  LCC Highways have confirmed that they do not maintain this access road. Track was originally used to give access to the fields.

3. Comments received from residents previously sent to you still stand.

081/25  Correspondence received since the August meeting.

13.8.25  BBC Litter and Dog Bin Policy                                                        Emailed to Councillors. Retained a copy for future use. 15.8.25

22.8.25  Wigtoft Newsletter                                                                        Emailed to Councillors. Added to website. 26.8.25

19.8.25  Details of Community Volunteer Scheme from County Cllr Paul Lock.                   Emailed to Cllrs 20.8.55

19.8.25  LCC Parish News

5.9.25    LALC training bulletin                                                                                                   Emailed to Councillors 5.9.25

12.9.25  LALC enews                                                                                                                   Emailed to Councillors 12.9.25

15.9.25` Fix My Street, confirmation of work to be completed to stop flooding in the layby on the A17 eastbound. Emailed to Councillors 15.9.25.

15.9.25  Neighbourhood Policing Priorities Survey                                                                 Emailed to Councillors 16.9.25

18.9.25 LCC Winter Salt bag offer – declined as not needed.                                                  Emailed to Councillors 18.9.25

24.9.25  Social media Posts/useful information from BBC                                                     Emailed to Councillors 25.9.25

25.9.25  Lincs Community Foundation, survey re Local Gov reorganisation                         Emailed to Councillors 25.9.25

**NALC is short for National Association of Local Councils.    **LALC is short for Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils. **BBC is short for Boston Borough Council.    ** LCC is short for Lincolnshire County Council. **FB is short for Facebook

082/25  Councillors’ Reports: none.

083/25  Borough and County Councillor’s reports.

County Councillor P Lock - if you have any concerns over Lincolnshire Local Government reorganisation, please let me know. I recently met with the Highways Area Manager for a drive around the local area. Please raise any concerns about Highways that you have.

Borough Councillor J Cantwell – Cllr Mills recently attended the last meeting of the 5 villages Emergency Group and completed the risk walk around the village. Lincs Police advise that they have had to dip into their monetary reserves to avoid mass layoffs. Borough Cllr David Brown and I have already allocated £1700 from our pot of money from the Councillor Grant Scheme. LCC have their proposal ready to submit regarding the Local Government Reorganisation. A resident contacted me about the selling of goldfish. Boston Borough Council’s policy on this matter has been clarified.

084/25  Clerk’s report

Clerk’s hours worked – update 24.9.25. 1.5 hours carried forward from 15.9.25. 16.9.25 to date 11.75. Base hours 18.75 per month. Extra hours worked last week preparing grant application which was submitted on the 21.9.25.

National Grid – trees in playing field. I chased a reply and someone rang me. They couldn’t tell me when they would let us have the information and I have heard no more. I will chase it again.  Fix My Street report about flooding in the lay by on the A17 heading towards King’s Lynn – confirmation received and work ordered.

The information about the Parcel Locker scheme was forwarded to the Village Hall Committee. I have been advised that they are not going ahead with this.

I have not received confirmation of receipt of the grant monies sent to the Village Hall Committee, the Newsletter and the PCC, despite asking for it. This is needed for an audit trail which can be checked by the internal and/or external auditor. Advice re action needed.

The gov.uk email domain and email addresses – I have filled in the online request form and received confirmation that Cloud Next have set this up and government confirmation received. Next step is to set up email addresses.

Could I have an update on the goal nets? Response – Cllr Leggott said the nets are with Cllr Collingwood. He will make contact about installing them.

085/25  To review the Play Area inspection undertaken by Cllr Mills in September

The clerk had circulated the report to the Councillors prior to the meeting. Items noted were algae on seat; mole hills; hole in perimeter fence and collapse of the edge of the footpath in front of the chicken huts. ACTION: Clerk to contact pest control about mole hills, other items to be reviewed during the next monthly check.

086/25  To review, discuss and approve the new Safeguarding and Health and Safety Policies and to include an update on the application for grant funding submitted on the 21.9.25.

It was resolved to adopt these new policies. The application was submitted by the required deadline. Confirmation of receipt has been received. No further update.  ACTION: Clerk to add to the website and forward a copy to UKPG Grass Roots Foundation. .

087/25  To approve an addition to the Standing Orders 15b, xviii to delegate power to the Clerk/Proper Officer to respond to planning applications (after consultation of Councillors by email) if the matter cannot be dealt with by at a full council meeting to meet any deadline given by the Local Authority Planning Department.

 It was resolved to adopt the addition. ACTION: Clerk to update website.

088/25  To approve an addition to the Financial Regulations 6.8 i to iv, to add point v as below to the clerk’s existing delegated powers “within i to v in this section, the RFO shall advise Councillors where possible by email of the proposed spend and request their approval”.

It was resolved to adopt the addition.  ACTION: Clerk to update website.

089/25  To confirm the agreed spend/quote of up to £200 to remove the build up of soil around the fence in the toddler area and use the spare soil to build up the area around the top of the slide.

It was resolved to confirm the agreed spend of up to £200.

Meeting closed at 20:12.  Next meeting is on the 3.11.25 at 19.00 at the Village Hall.